Greetings. I am Óðindís. Here I would like to present some Odinic lore and express my personal beliefs about the God Woden.

A great deal is known about Woden (Wuotan, Wodhanaz, Óðinn, Oden, Wodan, Odin,) from ancient sources, such as the Niebelung traditions, the Icelandic Eddas, Sagas, and Skaldic poetry. It seems that being the God of Poetic Inspiration does have its perquisites: Woden has been well remembered by the Skalds of whom He is Patron. More stories and descriptions of Odin survive than of any of the other Norse deities. This is not to say that the other Gods and Goddesses were not popular and widely worshipped by the Folk, but that Óðinn's skalds (poets) loved to glorify their Patron. As the tales of Kings and Heroes survived, so did the lore of Hár, preserved in poetry composed in His honour, and with it, many tales of the other Gods and Goddesses as well.

Over 235 names and titles of Woden are known from the elder sources. These titles and kennings give great insight into the nature of the most elusive of Gods. Some of these aspects of the God have been all but forgotten. I think it would be good for folks to remember the "forgotten" masks of Woden, and to speak His many beautiful names again.

The God Woden, I believe, has the characteristic of appearing to a person in a guise that reflects their perception of Him. Odin is known as the Masked One (Grimner); He takes on many forms, appearing as an old ragged Wanderer to one person, a Grim Warlord to another, and to a third perhaps as an aged Wise Man. I think that it is important for folks to realise this: that if they expect the worst from Woden, they will in all probability get it. In this essay I hope to illuminate some of Woden's often forgotten benevolent masks, and show that even His most terrible ones may be better understood in the light of His ultimate purpose.

In modern times it seems that Woden primarily is thought of as a God of war and battle: a stern warrior Who revels in, and stirs up strife. There is no doubt that Wodan is a God of battle; many of His names reflect this function. His is the gift of battle-frenzy, the berserker rage that can take a warrior out of himself, making him invulnerable to wounds and capable of superhuman feats of strength. If Woden stirs up strife, I believe it is to make us strong, for without challenge, we cannot become warriors. He is also known as the Lord of the Slain, the One Who Leads the Hosts of the dead. From ancient times He has been seen leading a tumultuous throng of skeletal huntsmen, horses and hounds through the autumn night sky. Though frightening to Christianised folks, I believe that the origin of the Wild Hunt lies in the cultic gatherings, and spirit "flight" of Wuotan's ecstatic devotees. This more positive aspect of the Lord of the Wild Hunt is remembered in certain folk tales where the frightening leader of the Hunt bestows gold upon a clever or courteous rustic. His name Óski , "The Granter of Wishes" (Wunsch in Germany) is a remembrance of His generosity. Woden's own "Bear-shirt-wearers" the Berserks, no doubt reveled in the powers they gained from the God, even if these powers earned them the fear and hatred of other men. It is reported that the Berserks also "flew": their bodies would lie as if asleep while their souls fared forth in animal form to do battle. After the revels and battles are done, Odin claims His own. Then He becomes the Guide of the Dead, the Ferry Man who shows souls the way through the mysterious landscape of the Other Side. He is particularly suited to this, for He has Himself experienced death. These important functions of the God, however, are not His only ones.

Woden is the Creator God. With His brothers Vili and Vé, which I believe to be hypostases of Him, Woden shaped the world from the corpse of the primal giant Ymir ( See Gylfaginning ). After this bit of work was finished, and the original chaos of the cosmos given order and form, Odin in His triple form walked beside the Ur-Sea. He came upon two tree trunks washed up as driftwood on the beach. One was an Ash, and one an Elm. From them He and His Brothers formed the first man and woman: Ask and Embla. The First of the aspects of God gave breath and life, the second consciousness and movement, and the third form and senses. This making of living beings from trees is reflected in the the Vitki's creation of rune tines, which are "brought to life" through galdor (magical song), breath, and blood. The gift of Óðinn is breath, which is the constant rhythmic fluctuation of life. He is the life force in the in taken breath, and it is to Him that our breath returns when our last breath expires. Many people think of Woden as the Grim God of Death, Valkjosandi "The Chooser of the Slain" who ends life. So He is, but He is also the source of the spark of life, and has granted us the great gifts of form, consciousness, free will, senses and mind.

Woden's name means "Fury", "Cultic Frenzy", "Master of Ecstasy". This, perhaps, is one of His most fundamental aspects. Woden is the energy that transcends limitation, whether that limit be physical, mental of spiritual. Thus His association with the seemingly disparate Aspects of God of Death, God of Battle, Lord of Ecstasy, and Inciter of Inspiration. In each of these functions you can see that the common factor is the transcendence of limitation and the opening of the consciousness to wider vistas. In Death, the bond of soul to body is severed. The soul, freed of its perceived fetters of flesh, enters into a less limited existence. In Battle, with Woden's inspiration, the warrior "goes beyond" himself, into a state of mind where he is capable of superhuman feats. When one knows Ecstasy, one is in an altered state of consciousness that is beyond their usual scope. In a state of Poetic Ecstasy, the Skald achieves a creative brilliance inaccessible to him in a normal state of mind.

Odin won the ability to transcend His Own limitations through a self-inflicted ordeal (See Hávamál, St. 138-165). He hanged Himself upon Yggdrasil, wounded by His own Spear to win the knowledge of the Runes. Woden mastered the shamanic technique of using physical and emotional crisis to force the psyche beyond its limits and into the transcendent realm of power, knowledge and wisdom. In this crisis unto death, consciousness is forced out of its habitual and curtailed perceptions and into a much vaster apprehension of reality. There is a very similar shamanic lore in most folk religions the world over. Usually, the seeker of knowledge must climb a tree or pole of some kind (which symbolises the spine), must suffer a personal death, hanged between Heaven and Earth, and in many cases is consumed by animals. The shamanic death journey is brought about in different ways; sometimes it is brought by illness, or through deliberate dancing to exhaustion; sometimes by fasting, or through painful (usually self-inflicted) wounds. Later, if the Shaman survives this, he/she returns to the middle world in a body reconstituted by his power animals, and carrying power and knowledge of the Worlds Beyond. Often the power of the shaman is contained in songs that he/she has learned from Other Worldly guides and allies. Traditionally, this knowledge and power is generously distributed to the folk through healing and blessing ceremonies. Odin's sacrifice on Yggdrasil is a perfect description of these shamanic techniques. When He wins the Runes, the great Mysteries, He immediately makes them available to the other Gods, and to worthy humans. Wodan is a healer in the shamanic tradition. As He is able to travel from the heights to the depths, so is He able to make whole what is broken, to bring the separate parts of the soul and body together into a healthy whole. The Second Merseburg Charm is a precious record of Wodan as Healer: a shamanic aspect of the God that was strongly suppressed by the Christians. Wodan was and is, however, a God of wholeness and healing, and a God of generosity, always willing to share knowledge and wisdom with the deserving. This has always been the role of the Great Shaman.

One of Woden's well known titles is the God of the Hanged. The hanging sacrifice has indeed ever been associated with him. There is a deep mystery in this. One could say that suspension between Heaven and Earth, undergoing death, is the essence of the human condition. However, though torn between the extremes of our nature, it is possible to reach a state of equilibrium. This rare state may be reached through spiritual practices and mental discipline, but also through crisis and sacrifice. The latter path is that of the shaman. The reward of this dearly won suspended state may be great wisdom and power. Just as the strangling noose ends the cycling between extremes that is breathing, when the shaman hangs on the tree of himself, he willingly gives up the extremes of Heaven and Hel, and falls into the void of death between them. When Woden yearned for a drink of Mimir's Well of Wisdom, He was willing to offer an eye for the privilege. In that moment He stood poised at the brink of life and death, wisdom and sacrifice, like a helt breath. Thus it was that though becoming blind to one reality, He became sighted in another. This is the Odinic paradox. Odin has one eye that sees all that exists, and another that sees all the unmanifest realities. His wisdom, however, transcends what He sees with one eye or the other. His vision has the depth of the synthesis of both. Thus, though Woden is seen as both light and dark, His true nature transcends the limits defined by these extremes.

Woden teaches us to follow His example, for he wants us to attain our highest potential. He does not want slavish followers, but persons of individual power who have won their own wisdom, as He did, by sacrificing that which limits the self in order to make way for the higher knowledge. Thus He is the Aldingautr, "the original (or elder) sacrifice", for He gave self to Self in order to gain the runes. Because He shared this hard won knowledge with worthy wights, His sacrifice has benefited all living things. Odin is the greatest Warlord in the war of consciousness, and His example shows us the way. He needs spiritual warriors who have conquered their limited selves, thus enabling them to aid Him in His great work. Woden also shows us that there are things which must be experienced to be understood; and that we contain the seeds of all wisdom within ourselves, and need not be bound by the limitations of ignorance. This is why he is known as The Fetter-loosener; and this, I believe, illuminates the true Godliness and nobility of His nature.

The Valknot is Woden's symbol. Its three entwined triangles represent many things, including the knot around the hanged man's neck, the three vertical levels of the nine worlds, and the interpenetration of all the realms of being by one another. Odin's knot symbolises His nature as that which inspirits and unites all things. He is the dynamic whole, and the energy within matter. The Valknot is a depiction of the nine worlds, separate yet intimately bound, and also represents the many soul-parts that make up a conscious being. All of these are knotted to each other, and have His Spirit in common. To wear the valknot in modern times has come to symbolise that the wearer has given him/herself to Woden, and acknowledges an inseparable bond with Him. The knot can mean an oath, but is also can mean the bond of spiritual Love, and the windings of Wyrd. The Native American expression "It is a good day to die" is exactly the state of mind and will signified by the wearing of the Valknot. Woden is known as the both the Fetterer, and the Fetter-loosener. These names refer to His ability to tie and untie the threads of Wyrd, and His famed power to set and release bonds, such as the "battle fetter". This too is a meaning of Odin's knot. Another triune Wodenic symbol akin to the Valknot is commonly called "Odhroerir": three crossed drinking horns. Found carved on cultic stones, just as valknots were, these three united horns represent the three vessels that contained the Mead of Poetry, and thus Odhr, Odin's gift of poetic inspiration. I think that it is possible that the three Runic Aettir ("families", in groups of 8) are also represented by the Valknot. The number nine, sacred to Odin, is also the number of points on the Valknot. Not surprisingly, one of the meanings of the rune hagalaz, the ninth rune, is "source of all rune staves".

One very fundamental way of perceiving the runic mysteries is as sound. Óðinn is well known as the Lord of Magical Songs, (Galdor). Gained by His self-sacrifice, this vitki's skill is used for altering consciousness. From the most ancient times there has been passed down a lore of the soul. Some of this ancient spiritual technology is preserved in the Hindu teachings about the Chakras, or Wheels of Energy, contained in the human body. Many indigenous cultures, such as the Toltec, Inuit, and Sami have similar "maps of consciousness" that describe our psycho-spiritual topography. Each Chakra vibrates at a certain frequency. By changing this frequency, one can effect changes in perception. Music is one fundamental way to effect these changes. Like strings on a violin, the Chakras will vibrate harmonically when a tone is played near them. Mastery of the consciousness changing qualities of sound is one of the primary sources of Odin's power. So it is also for the Vitka. Odin is the God of breath, spirit, wind, storm and Magical Song. The sounds of the runes, sung by an Erulian (rune master) harness and direct the very forces of creation. Therefore I believe that it was Woden's voice at the beginning of time that caused all things to blossom forth from the void of Ginnungagap, before ever He took form. All that exists is vibration: even those least mystical of creatures, scientists, agree on this point. All is movement; the oscillation of particles in and out of existence. Odin Himself is like this: His nature spans the extremes of existence, and He is in constant movement. He is the Master of flux and change. His name Unn means "wave". The sublime and rhythmic roar of the restless sea is the music of the cyclic ebb and flow of Woden's nature. The mightiest of magicians, Oden has the power to command all elemental forces through His mastery of the essence of vibration, given form in the runes. He teaches us that through Galdor, Runic Song, we may affect our consciousness, and our thus our reality.

I believe that singing the runes can affect the human nervous system (and soul) in profound ways. With practice one can learn which tones cause what changes in consciousness. One achieves the ability, as Odin did, to change consciousness at will, and to move vital energy up the spine, from the roots of the tree, to its crown. This is symbolised in many cultures by the feathered serpent. The Caduceus of Hermes is probably the best known symbol of this kind, representing the attainment of Divine Consciousness by learning to bring vital force up the spine to flower at the crown of the head, where the snake unfolds its wings.

The story of Odin's winning of the mead of inspiration contains this archetypal snake-to-bird transformation. Entering the Ale-mountain through an auger hole, Odin in snake guise finds the Giant maid Gunnlod, guardian of the dwarf-brewed mead. Her father has stolen it from the dwarfs, who had murdered the wisest of the Gods, Kvasir, and brewed mead from his holy blood. Beguiled by the beauty and power, of the God, Gunnlod agrees to allow Him a drink of the sacred mead if He will grant her three nights of pleasure. This part of the bargain Odin fulfills as only the Lord of Ecstasy can. When He claims His prize, He upends all three vessels containing the poet's mead, swallowing it all. He transforms Himself into an Eagle, and bears the holy mead of wisdom to Asgard. This is a poetic metaphor of the raising of consciousness from a lower, limited state, into a higher transcendent one. It is also a tale of how one must go into the depths of the self to win the mead of wisdom and then bring it up into consciousness where it can be shared with others.

A familiar guise of the God is that of the Wanderer. Shrouded in a blue-black mantle, His empty eye socket concealed by a hood or slouched hat-rim, He is known to travel Middle Earth, seeming to enjoy going incognito when seeing what humans are up to. Odin masks His glory in rags, that He might pass unrecognised. So it is that the God of Gods might be disguised as the homeless man on the street corner. Like Hermes, with Whom He has much in common, Odin fares from the heights to the depths, and back again. All worlds are open to Him, and He is the Master of spirit travel. It is said that Odin can lie as if asleep while His soul fares forth. He is also a well-know shape-shifter, who in the lore assumes the form of both serpent and eagle. Wodan's Serpent shape is another typical one for shamanic transformation. The snake is symbolic of both the masculine and feminine, eternal life, and Kundalini. The eagle, aetheling of birds, carries the power of nobility of soul and ultimate spiritual attainment. I would like to suggest that some of His other animal "hides" (shapes) include the raven, the wolf, the horse, and the bear. In these forms, as well as in His many human disguises, He travels the worlds, gathers information, and furthers His often mysterious purposes.

Woden's most familiar companions are the two ravens Huginn and Muninn. Their names mean "Thoughtful" or "bold" and "Mindful" or "desirous". They fly forth each day from Asgard to gather information for Hrafntyr. Nothing escapes the keen gaze of Huginn and Muninn. They return to Allfather and perch on His shoulders, croaking tidings of the worlds. The raven is a spirit animal particularly suited to Odin. The raven is the most cunning of birds, known to folk the world over as a Creator and Trickster Spirit. A raven is inconspicuous in his blue-black mantle, and one can expect to find ravens almost anywhere. Ravens are notorious for haunting gallows. Long ago, when these battlefield scavengers blackened the fields where the slain lay, or croaked ominously from the offering-groves, folk naturally associated them with the God of Battle and the Hanged. Ravens are very vocal creatures. The original meaning of the Anglo-Saxon world Galdor was "a raven's croakings". It is no coincidence that rune galdor is linked to the raven. Odin as God of song and speech would of course have familiars that are garrulous. Ravens mimic human speech, and can learn many words. This has no doubt much enhanced their reputation as powerful spirit beings, and may be the origin of stories of shamans who take on raven form to work magic.

Odin's other familiar companions are the wolves Freki and Geri. Wolves are also very vocal creatures, are highly intelligent, and haunt battlefields. In the wilderness, the howling of wolves on a winter night is as good an evocation of Odin as I can imagine. The wolf is mentioned frequently in Germanic folklore as an animal into which a human transforms. These "werewolf" stories are remnants, I believe, of an Odhinnic cult of wolf-skin wearing warriors, or a specific clan of wolf shape-shifters. Wolves are social animals who have a definite chain of command. The old Germanic aethelings' warband had a similar structure, with the Lord taking the role of pack leader. This makes Ulf-Óðinn the ultimate Alpha Wolf.

The horse is holy to Wodan as well. For obvious reasons horse is the most common spirit steed in shamanic cultures. Able to carry men on Earth, it also carries the soul into the other realms of being, including the land of the Dead. Sleipner is Odin's eight-legged horse, said to be the finest of steeds. It has been suggested, along the lines of the horse being a steed of the Dead soul, that the eight legs symbolise the eight legs of four men carrying a coffin. Perhaps also Sleipner's multiple legs symbolise speed, or the eight legs of a spider, that freely moves about its web: in Odin's case, this would be the web of Wyrd. Horses were the steeds of warlords also, and are brave fighters. The horse carries the power not only of travel, but of fierceness and courage. In Viking times, it is known that horse fights were a popular sport. Perhaps in the contest of these powerful animals the folk saw a reflection of the challenges met by the spirits of mighty human warriors, or even the by Gods Themselves. Wodan as God of the Wild Hunt, or Furious Host is seen to lead spectral horsemen. I think it is likely these "hunters" were once really warriors, led on horseback after death by the Great Warlord Himself. Eight, six, or three legged horses are part of the Wilde Jagd Mythos in the Germanic sources. Also, the Germanic tradition, horses were often sacrificed as sacred offerings, then eaten by the celebrants. It is likely that the White Horse of Uffington is a Wodenic stead, or was adopted as such by the Anglo-Saxon invaders.

Bjorn, Odin as a bear, is another northern creature that is at the top of the food chain. No other beast inspires such awe, or looks as human, as a bear. They are known for their spiritual as well as physical power. Thus the Berserks,(Bear-hide-wearers), Odin's cultic warriors, may well have been another sort of "spirit animal clan" who practised a certain kind of Wodanic bear shape-shifting (shamanism). The bear-shape is one form Odin takes, I believe, when He roams the deep wildernesses, and communes with Jörd, Goddess of Earth.

An illuminating characteristic of Odin is that He has always sought female wisdom. First and foremost of these wise women is his wife Frigg, who knows all of Wyrd, but stays silent. From Her I believe He gains a balance to His boundless energy, for She is Home, and Comfort, and Stillness, and to some extent represents the security of an ordered society. Odin also seeks out Jörd, Goddess of Earth. She is as famous for wisdom as He. From their union came the Valkyries, Daughters of Earth and Sky. I believe them to be female expressions of Odin's soul. The Goddess Freya, teacher of the Vanic mysteries such as Seidh to Odin, is perhaps His most well known magical counterpart. He learned much that came to be considered forbidden knowledge from Her. Skadhi is another of His teachers. This Jötun-Goddess, like Him, loves the raw power of wilderness. Hers are the mountain and winter secrets, the mysteries of the hunt, and the wisdom gained through lone night vigils on the icy peaks. Even to human women He goes for knowledge. Loki accused Óðinn of participating in women's cultic rituals, and said so as if that were a great insult. He implied Odin was "becoming a woman", by drumming with the volva-witches, dressing as a woman and letting go of control. These are all well known shamanic techniques. Loki meant his accusation as an insult, but it probably was once an accepted practice for some men to take on a female persona as part of shamanic training. Many shamans have a "spirit wife" or "spirit husband", and sometimes they are inspired to dress as this magical guide in order to better commune with them. One can see in this the psychological integration necessary for a magician to keep his/her sanity in the face of the mind boggling realities with which they are constantly challenged. It is said that Woden relates to His female devotees quite differently than He does to His male ones. I believe this is generally true. Women, it seems, know a kinder face of the God. Unlike Odin's male Chosen, who often bond to Him through oath and the challenge of combat a woman's bond to Him is more often at the level of the heart. Women will not speak of him so often as a War God, but as the Lord of Ecstasy and Wisdom. There are some women, however, who are His shield maidens, and relate to Him as their battle Leader. My experiences of Woden have shown me that He is a loving God, a loyal and inspiring Companion, and the Best of Teachers. Odin often assumes the role of Muse for His female devotees, inspiring their creative works. It has been written that a Vitki's muse (and the representation of his higher self) is his Valkyrie; but it is Odin Himself that acts as Spirit Guide and Inspirer to the Vitka.

Woden is the eldest and Father of the Gods, and it is said that however powerful the other Divinities are, before Him They are as little children, and indeed, we too are His children. Odin is the Grandfather of all living, carrying knowledge from the origin time. He is known to walk among us in Midgard in order to have a look at His creation and His offspring. Often He comes in the shape of a white-haired old man who is tall and lean. In this fitting guise the Elder God is a familiar figure in many folk tales: the wandering Wizard leaning on a graven staff. He is the Giver of wisdom, the Teacher of the Hero, and the Master of all magical arts. As Karl (Old Man), Odin appears unexpectedly to offer aid, or perhaps to test the seeker. He is Fimbulthul, the Greatest and Eldest of Poets, and His memory is deep. He is the Rememberer of the unbroken oral tradition of the folk and the Gods stretching back to the beginning of time. It is easy to see why the Eldest God and Lord of poetic inspiration can weave the most spellbinding tales. He is the Great Poet who told, and still tells tales of the elder days to the skalds. Some of those fortunate enough to meet Odin in this guise win great knowledge from Him. Karl is more dangerous than He looks, however. It is unwise to trifle with this Old Man, for He is subtle, and quick to anger. He is, however, Someone who you really would want on your side.

Woden is a great giver of gifts. Many of His Heiti reflect this function. He is the God of Cargoes, the Ring Giver, Óski Granter of Wishes, The Provider, and the Gifter of Victory. Odin is known to bestow great intellectual and spiritual riches on His Chosen, as well as providing for them in a material sense. However, His gifts and His victory might not always seem so wonderful from a human perspective. In many of the old heathen tales, a King or warrior would make a deal with Odin. For a sacrifice, the man would be granted victory in a coming battle. Then, after Odin granted victory, holding up his end of the bargain, the man would balk at paying his promised mede: often his own speedy death. Because of this Odin has the reputation of betraying His chosen Heroes. In reality, though, the humans were the oath-breakers, for they were unwilling to give the God His due. They chose to relate to the God by being bound by an oath, and I believe these stories are a warning against promising what you are not willing to pay. Wodan has His own ideas of victory, a God's ideas. His perspective is an eternal one. Death in this world is inevitable, and is not the worst thing one can experience. Woden, as Lord of Death is well aware that it is more difficult to live than to die. He will take His Heroes when He will, but they go to Valhalla, a higher plane of existence. Heathens have always considered this to be the greatest of honours, to be a One-harrier, a Hero who has overcome himself, and thus gained a position in Odin's warband, or in Freya's. I believe that from Wodan's perspective, Death is one of His most precious gifts.

There are many kinds of Heroes claimed by Odin. Some are not as obvious as others. Some Heroes labour for others in obscurity, developing a kind of quiet courage and discipline. Others are warriors of consciousness, who challenge themselves in the pursuit of wisdom . Still others are those who fight for what they believe is right, in the face of overwhelming odds. There are many brave souls, and there are many battlefields. The rewards of Odin's service are indeed great, but they are often unseen by the uninitiated eye. If the Wodenic Hero seems a tortured soul, a misfit, or someone hopelessly out of step with the majority, it may be precisely because of his/her God-bestowed gifts. Odin's ecstasy can seem a frightening and alienating gift, but any who have experienced it must surely admit that it is well worth the price.

What is the meaning of all the masks of the God? I believe that Woden is God coming to us in a guise that we are ready to perceive. Truth (one of His names, Sath) is blinding to the limited mind. I believe that many of Odin's most frightening masks are assumptions of the human mind faced with incomprehensible mystery. Woden is the God of the wild storm winds, and truly, His is that force in nature that lifts our minds to a perception of the sublime. If the fury of the storm wind and the violence of the lightning are manifestations of Wodan's restless spirit, the equally intense passions in His Chosen likewise are evoked by Him. Wod, the root of the name Woden, is the Anglo-Saxon world for frenzy, madness, extreme fury. Woden has long been associated with madness. Sometimes a state of Ecstasy, a shamanic trance, might be interpreted as "madness" by the uninitiated. This would appear to be a very frightening state to someone who believed self-control a necessity in a free man or woman, which was as common an attitude in the old days as it is now. There is always the danger of insanity when one explores the further reaches of consciousness, and great peril in gazing into the eye of Truth, lest one be faced with all that is false within the self. Giving up oneself to the God seems a terrifying thing but what is truly daunting is to face one's own fears and projections. Woden confronts the soul with these terrors in order to teach us that, in truth, our souls may be freed from the bonds of fear if we take responsibility for our own consciousness. Odin is known as a Trickster, but I believe that if you examine the myths you will see that those who think that they have been fooled by His disguises, are in fact hoodwinking themselves.

What is Woden's Purpose? I believe that it is to preserve order and balance in this world -- and life -- for as long as possible. He is preparing for the inevitable final battle with the forces of destruction that ultimately will lead to the rebirth and restoration of the Earth. Odin has assumed the terrible responsibility that is the shadow of His Godly might. Woden is the Greatest of Heroes, worthy of the Mighty Einherrar who have come to Him. I believe Woden is concerned with the spiritual evolution of all of us, and that Woden continues to evolve. He is not the same as He was in the sixth century. New wisdom is still His pursuit. His ways may seem frightening at times, or incomprehensible. Yet a child often misunderstands the actions of the Parent. . Sometimes the child wants something that is not what he really needs. Woden shows us what we truly need, in spite of what we believe we want. If this makes Him seem stern and severe, it is good to remember how a child can resent the parent who takes away his candy to prevent him from getting sick. Woden knows our struggles, and He understands our pain. He is a God of Sorrow, for His burden is wearying, and He has suffered much in the pursuit of Wisdom. He knows pain and experiences grief for all that must pass away. He feels compassion for His children, who are so like Him. Woden teaches us of ecstasy, that we remember our divine nature, and possess courage in all our battles, even as He stirs up strife with which to temper us.